In the final hearing of the case regarding the unsolved disappearance of a Chaldean couple in Turkey, one defendant was sentenced to life imprisonment while the other two were acquitted on Friday. The verdict has left the family of the couple dissatisfied and they will appeal to a higher court.
Hürmüz Diril and his wife Şimuni went missing in January 2020 in Kovankaya village, known as Meer in the Syriac language, which is located in the Beytüşşebap (Elkî) district of Şırnak (Şırnex), and which had been evacuated several times by Turkey.
The lifeless body of Şimuni Diril was discovered 70 days after their disappearance near the Hezil (Hizil) Stream, but the fate of Hürmüz Diril remains uncertain.
A relative of the family named Apro Diril was found guilty of premeditated murder in connection with Şimuni Diril’s death and received a life sentence. The other two defendants were acquitted.
The couple’s family does not believe that Apro Diril alone could have been responsible for the abduction and murder. The family argue that the investigation was not properly conducted from the outset and that some evidence might have been tampered with.
The Chair of Şırnak Bar Association and Dirils’ lawyer Rojhat Dilsiz declared that they would appeal the verdict to a higher court.
“Our legal fight will persist in the judicial process until the true culprits who potentially assisted Apro Diril are brought to light,” said Dilsiz.
